Interviews With Hamsters

“I do it to keep myself fit. I’m very conscious about my body type, and I know I have a tendency to stuff myself. If I don’t go on the wheel, I bulk up like it’s winter and it’s bad for me. I don’t enjoy it, as such, but I do feel satisfied afterwards.”

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“It’s the one time that I get to think, just for myself. Between the repetitive motions and the squeak of the bearings, my mind just kind of goes blank, and I don’t worry so much about everyday things: will we get fed, where is the cat, has someone pooped in my corner, you know? Stuff like that.”

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“It’s fun to do it with friends. We don’t get all that much to do because of where we live, so when my friends and I go for a run, it’s like a sense of freedom. It’s good to stretch the legs and have fun!”

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“I’m in training. If that cage door ever opens, I’m out of here. I don’t really get on well with the others that live here, so if I find the opportunity to get under that sofa, I’m taking it.”

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“There’s really only so long that a hamster can sleep each day, you know? There’s not much else to do! I like to groom myself, and others, of course. But I’ve often got a spare ten minutes and once you’ve read the newspaper lining the cage, you’ve got to do something with your time, right?”